Interchangeable signs that are selectively manipulated by designated personnel are particularly advantageous in environments where information is critical to the safety of persons and/or the property itself. For example, in healthcare environments, such as hospitals, relaying important patient information is paramount to lowering the rate of avoidable medical errors. Transmission of relevant information is obviously necessary to improve health outcomes, but is also necessary to meet legal, professional and ethical requirements. It is common for healthcare systems to have built-in redundancies and methods to prevent caregiver errors. A prominent display of critical information is also crucial to aid non-clinical persons in supporting, evaluating and advancing patient care. Examples of non-clinical persons include those involved in the administration of the facility as well as visitors to the healthcare facility. As part of such systems, prominently displayed signs that are easily interpreted can be effective tools to convey important information to healthcare providers and the general public to reduce medical errors and improve patient safety and medical outcomes. It is imperative, particularly when the information is more critical to medical outcomes, for the sign to convey information that is current, reliable and the same across various applications. Each piece of information displayed should have clear meaning and acceptable practices associated with it.
More specifically, hospitals manage patient information electronically through the use of integrated computer systems and computer terminals. However, not all personnel, and certainly not visitors, have access to such systems. Additionally, patient charts are often used to convey specific information about a particular patient, but the physical chart must be accessible and those obtaining the chart must have the experience to interpret them. Moreover, conveying information among hospital personnel is critical both among the healthcare staff currently assisting the patient and those that will come into contact with the patient in the future, such as on subsequent hospital shifts. There remains a need to convey basic, yet very important, information about the patient to each person coming into contact with the patient, be it to provide care, administrative services, or even just visiting. Important patient information, in many cases, must be brought to the attention of all who encounter the patient or the patient's room.
In a hospital setting, for example, critical patient information might include notice that no visitors are allowed or that an interpreter is required. It might also be critical for hospital personnel and visitors to know that masks and gowns are required or to see the nurses' station before entering. Notification that no flowers are permitted or that the patient has a latex allergy may also be critical information that must be displayed. Other examples include that the patient cannot receive anything by mouth or that the patient possesses a fall risk. In certain circumstances, this information is important, and even critical, and should be prominently displayed for all those that approach the patient's room or the patient. And this information should be displayed in a manner that is consistent across various applications as part of a system of transmitting information. Moreover, it is important that the signs possess a degree of integrity so that they may provide a reliable manner of transmitting information. Unintentional and/or unauthorized alteration of the sign must, therefore, be discouraged and even prevented.
U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 2010/0199532 sets forth a messaging sign having plates and a reversible locking system. The sign according to the prior application consists of a frame formed of various layers positioned in a facing relationship so as to define slots on an outer surface of the frame. Plates bearing indicia are inserted into the slots and secured in place by locking members in the concealed position (that is, fully within the frame). A cover is rotatably mounted to the frame so that the sign may be opened by pivoting the cover to expose the concealed plates. When the plates are concealed within the frame and behind the cover, there is no external indicator of the possible indicia to be displayed, that is, they are fully concealed. Each locking member of each plate must be manually depressed individually to permit the plate to be extended beyond the border of the frame to display those particular indicia.
Such signs are not limited to the healthcare industry. As another example, in industrial settings, interchangeable signs can be used to keep employees informed and to warn of potential dangers to persons and/or property. The signs can display indicia or written content representing, for example, the need for protective eyewear, the presence of propane or other flammable material, the presence of biohazardous materials, high voltage or arc flash areas, moving forklifts, or a food preparation area. It is relevant in such settings to provide a sign which is easily recognizable, which bears standardized warnings in the form of indicia, and which is securely interchangeable by designated personnel. Other settings may also warrant selectively interchangeable and secured signboards, but for the sake of discussion, use of such signs in the healthcare industry will be explained in detail below.